Display device



April 25, 1939. J. s. coNNoRs DISPLAY DEVICE Filed May 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENT OR. NNOR 5 JOHN 5. CO

ATTORNEYS.

April 1939- ;.14 s. CONNORS 2,155,699

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed May 12, 1958 2 Sheet sSh eet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN s. CONNORS WWW ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 25, 1939 :1

ED STATE PATENT OFFICE DISPLAY DEVICE I John Connors, Cleveland,.0hio Application May '12;, 1938,'S erial .No. 207,539 4 Claims. (c1. 21 1 -13s) This invention relates to a display device or stand which is particularly adapted for use in displaying articles of manufacture or advertising matter in an eifective manner. One of the objects of the invention is to provide -a display device of the character described which is simple in construction, rigid and dependable in. operation and well adapted for production at comparatively low cost. 2

Another object of the invention is to provide a display device of the character described which is readily adjustable to different positions so that articles or advertising matter may be displayed at the desired angle.

A further object of the invention is-to provide a display device of the character described which consists of a main section adapted to support articles .to be displayed and a prop section pivotal ly and slidably connected with the main section and adapted to position and support the main section in different angular positions with only a minimum amount of adjustment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a display device of the character described which 25' consists of a main section adaptedto maintain or support articles or advertising matter to be displayed and a prop section which is pivotally,

and adjustably secured to the main section and adjustable with respect thereto and which has a cam surface adapted to cooperate with'an adjacent surface on the main section to provide automatic lockingzmeans for holding thedevice in the desired angular position. I

A still further object of the inventionis-toiprovide a display rack or standwhich hasshelves thereon adapted to support articles to be displayed and a prop section adjustable to support the stand in difierent angular positions, there being a mechanical connection between the prop shelves when the prop is moved from one position to another to maintain the shelves level.. I

Further and more limited objects of the invention'will appear as the description proceeds and by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the preferred embodiment of my display stand with an article support thereon; Fig. 2 is aview in side elevation of the stand shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 aoz'is' a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating different positions of the prop member which supports the stand; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of my invention looking at the rear thereof which is preferably formed of cardand the shelves. for adjusting the position of the.

board or the like; Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the section which receives the prop; Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of a further modified form of a display stand embodying shelves and supporting articles to be displayed; Fig. 8 is a view in rear elevation of the display stand shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 9- is a View similar to Fig. l with the stand supported in a different angular position. Referring now to the drawings, Figs. 1-4 inelusive, the preferred embodiment of my invention consists of a display-stand made up of a main section and a prop section pivotally and slidably secured to the main section and adapted to be positioned to support the main section in different angular positions. The main section preferably consists of a wire frame having an upper rectangular portion 1 and a lower rectangular portion 2 the lower edge of which is turned up-- wardly as shown at 3. The central portion of the wire frame is contracted and fitting thereover is a formed metal sleeve 4 which holds the wire frame together and which has a rear edge thereof tapered as shown" at 5. Slidably mounted on the sleeve 4 is a collar 6 which has a pair of arms I and 8 between which is pivotally mounted a prop 9 by means of a bolt or pin Ill. The upper end of the prep 9 is shaped to provide a cam surface H which engages the tapered surface 5 to provide automatic locking means for holding the prop in the desired adjusted position. The sleeve 4 may have suitable indicia thereon to indicate the angular position which the main section will assume when the prop is in anyone of several desired-positions. The angular position of the mainsection may be adjusted by merely sliding. theicollar '6. upon the sleeve 4. The collar is freely slidable upon the sleeve when the prop is movedto disengage the cam surface thereof from the tapered surface 5. It will therefore be seen that a large angular adjustment of the main section may be attained by a very slight movement of the collar 6 on the sleeve 4. The main section is adaptedto support articles or advertising matter to be displayed.

It will now be clear that I have provided a dis.- play stand which is very simple in construction and capable of being adjusted to variousv angular positions with a minimum of efiort and that the stand when adjusted is automatically locked in the adjusted position.

In Figs. 5 and 6 there is disclosed a modified form of my invention which is preferably formed of cardboard or the like. This form of the invention consists of a main section l2 and an auxiliary section l3 the rear face of which is tapered as shown at l4 and has therein an angular slot I5. The sections l2 and I3 are prefably formed of one piece of cardboard and are hinged together so that they may be moved to the position shown in Fig. 5. The section [2 may constitute an easel adapted to support a display board l6 which, if desired, may be permanently secured to the section 12. In order to hold the section l3 in the desired position with respect to the section l2, suitable cut-out sections I! and I8 are provided which may be folded to the position shown in Fig. 5 to hold the section l3 in the desired position. Slidably and adjustably mounted in the slot I5 is a member IE to which the prop 20 is pivotally secured by means of a suitable pin or bolt 2|. The upper end of the prop has a cam surface indicated by the reference character 22 which engages the tapered surface I4 of the section I3 when the stand is disposed in the position shown in Fig. 5. It will be seen that the prop is adjustable longitudinally of the slot and that the cam surface 22 engages the tapered-surface I4 to automatically lock the prop in the desired position whereby to maintain the stand in the desired angular position. It will be seen that a small longitudinal movement of the member IS in the slot l5 will providefor a wide variation in angular positions of the stand. This form of. the invention in function and operation is substantially the same as the form of the invention disclosed in Figs. 1-4 inclusive, but is better adapted to be formed of cardboard or some similar light material.

In Figs. 7-9 inclusive I have disclosed a second modification of my invention in which the stand is provided with adjustably mounted shelves for displaying articles of merchandise. In. this form of my invention the main section of the stand consists of a plate 25 which is preferably formed of metal and which has therein a plurality of, pairs of elongated slots 26 and 21 which. receive therein the supporting shelves. The shelves 29 are preferably formed of a length of wire bent to shape as shown most clearly in Fig. 8 and each shelf has a pair of rearwardly projecting portions 29 which have teeth 30 which engage the lower edges of the slots to hold the shelves in the desiredadjusted position. The plate 25 is also pro- -vid'ed at each side thereof with a pair of rearwardly bent portions 3| and 32 which have apertures therein which slidably receive a pair of bars 33 and. The bars 33 and 34 have a plurality of elongated openings 35 therein which receive the rearwardly projecting portions 29 of the shelves. The back of the plate 25 has a cut-out portion 36 which is bent rearwardly and which has an angular slot 31 therein. The rear face of the plate 36 is tapered as shown at 38. Slidable freely in the slot 3'! is a member 39 to which is pivotally secured a prop40 by means of a pin 4|. The upper end of the prop has a cam surface 42 which engages andcooperateslwith thetapered surface 38 to lock the stand in the desired angular position. The prop 40 has a curved extension 43 thereon in which is provided a curved slot 44. Extending transversely of the stand is a rod 45 the opposite ends of which extend through circular openings provided in the bars 33 and 34. When the stand is moved from the position shown in Fig. 7

to the position shown in Fig. 9, the rod 45 being engaged with the bars 33 and 34 through which the projecting ends 29 of the shelves extend, causes the shelves to be maintained in the horizontal position. In other words, connections are provided between the prop and the shelves for adjusting the positions of the shelves when the prop is moved from one position to another so as to maintain the shelves in the horizontal position. The position'of the shelves with respect to the plate 25 may be adjusted and the teeth 30 on the projecting ends 29 of the shelves hold the same in the adjusted positions.

It will now be clear that I have provided a display stand or rack which will accomplish the objects of the invention hereinbefore stated. It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention herein disclosed are to be considered merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense as various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthespirit of my invention. The invention therefore is limited only in accordance with the scope ofthew-appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimis:

1. A display device comprising .a main section and a: prop pivotallyand. slidably secured to said main section and adapted to be positioned to support said main section in different angular positions, the upper end: of said prop having a cam. surface and the adjacent portion of said main section having a tapered. surface adapted to be engaged by said cam surface to provide automatic locking means for holding said prop in the desired position.

2. A display device comprising a frame, a member secured: to said frame and having a tapered surface at the back thereof, a second member slidable loosely on said frame, a prop pivotally securedto-said second member and having a cam surface atthe upper end thereof adapted to engage said tapered surface to form locking means for automatically securing said prop in. the desired position whereby to support said frame in the desired angular position.

3. A display device comprising a front portion containing a display, amember secured to the back of said front portion and having an elongated slot therein and a tapered rear face. a second member freely slidable in said elongated slot, a prop pivotall-y secured to said second member and having a cam surface at the upper end thereof adapted to engage the tapered rear face of said first member and providing automatic locking means for holding said prop in the desired position. v

4. A display device comprising a wire frame shaped to provide a support for an article to be displayed, a metal member surrounding a portion of said frame. and having a rear face which is tapered, a collar slidable freely on said member, ,a prop pivotally secured to said collar and having a cam surface .at the upper end thereof whichengages said tapered face to provide automatic locking. means for said prop whereby said-frame may be supported in difierentangular positions.

JOHN S. CONNORS. 

